Bowling alley resurfacing machine



Oct. 20, 1953 a. PARQVEL 2,655,770

30mm; 4pm? RESURFACING MACHINE Filed March 19 1951 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 INVENTQR Gio'uanni Fag-oval BY W12) Affonnsvs Oct. 20, 1953 s. PAROVEL 2,655,770

BOWLING ALLEY RESURFACING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Giovanni Parovel BY 1/541]; M

ATTORN EYS Oct. 20', 1953 e. PAROVEL BOWLING ALLEY RESURFACING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR GiouanniParaveL BY ATTORNEYS Oct. 20, 1953 PAROVEL 2,655,770

BOWLING ALLEY RESURFACING MACHINE Filed March 19, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 7g Giovanni Paz'aueZ 52 Q ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 20, 1953 UN I T ED TATE S PAT EN T O FFl CE RE SUREA'GI'NG FM'AOHINE Giovanni'Ranovel, Sacramento, Calif.

Applicafion March :19, 1951, Serial No. 216,390

.3Clalims. (01. 51-174) .1 invention relates. in general :to floor {sandring machines, and more .specificallyto-a machine of the elass especially designed to resurface bowL- alleys. :In particular this invention is :directed to, ;and it is :a major :object-toprovide, a finish sander especially designed, ibll-l; not limited, :f'QT-SLISB in conjunction with and fattent-he longitudinal, side- .edge leveling operations have :been carried out by the machine :shown in my cependingapplication centitled :Brelimmar-y, Track-Forming {Sander .i-or Bowling Alleys, Serial No. 116,39 filedlviarch .zA-not-her important object of the-invention is ytoyprovide :a :bowling .alley :san'ding machine r0011- estructed in .a manner (to ,tacilitat'e replacement :of ithe sanding .belt:and :to. minimize the attendant time consuming op:erations.

iAxfiurther object of the invention iS tO .previde :a bowling alley :sanding machine which utilizes endless belt type sanding material; the latter being-capable of sandingssufiieient floor area during .operationto effectively lengthen .:the time :of .its useiulness, whereby fewer replacements :of the sanding material (are necessary.

.An additional-object of .the :inventionis to pro- Wide .8. bowling-alley sanding machine whichaembodies :a novel mount-tor the endless. belt @type sanding material; such .mount loeing arranged to permit of quick and easy manual adjustment \whereby .to alter the-depth of {cut ,or :the trans- 3 .81388 LIQVGI of said.endlesssanding-belt.

&Still another object of (the invention is .to ,provide a bowling alley. resurfacing .machine which .isdesigne'd for ease 'and e'conomyof manufactu-re; the machine being relatively light-in \weight and .of :simple, compact structure.

it iszalso an object-of the inventionltoprovide zazpractical and reliable bowling alley resin-racing machine, and one which-will be exceedinglyrefiectire fUIlthCgDllIIDOSB :foriwhich it isadesigned.

ilhese dbj'ects are accomplished .by-zmeans f such structure :and relative arrangement ol parts "as will fully appear lay a perusal of the Etollowing "specification and claims.

In the drawings:

'Fig. "lis a side -'elevation of the improved-bowling alley sanding machine showing itdn operait'i'on -'on a bowling alley.

Fig. '2 is an enlarged side elevation without the removable side plate in place, tomorec'learly show the internal construction.

Fig. -3 is "an 'errlarged'transverse section'showing therear ofthemainsanding roller, an'dalso .the rear of the vertical adjustment means .for the sanding .belt and .rollers.

Fig. dis airagmentary .sectionalplan .viewpf :said adjustment means; the View beingtaken just inside the top cover.

,Fig. dis .a fragmentary rear elevation .of {the top of the machine showing the .tilt indicatonand .also the side trip .switch.

Fig. -6 .is .a iragmentaryplanview of (the rear axle and frame showing the braking mechanism.

Fig. 7 is .a fragmentary elevation .showingone of the ..gutter engaging roller .or guide .mfits.

Referring now more particularly. tothe .characters of reference on the drawings, .the machine comprises a. body, indicated generally at l.,.ssupported "front and rear by transversely .spaced wheels .2; the machine being controlled .from .an operatoris handle .bar ,3t-connected .to the anachine .at .the rear. .The wheels 2 sunport .the machine for lengthwise motion along a bowlin alley A; the latter beingenga'ged .full width, as the machine advances, 'by the bottom run of an endless sanding 'belt '5 disposed intermediate the .iront and .rear wheels.

.As will be noted "in Fig. the wheels I are mounted within .the width of Lthesandingb'elt '5, but in line --w'ith the vimmediate end portions thereof. .Thus...the wheels 2 roll along .the outer .edge portions .of the alley, and which portions have previously been sanded level lengthwise .by .the machine shown in the aforesaid copendin g application.

The sanding belt .5 is carried .onttwo transverse v.axis rollers spaced apart lengthwise Linithe ma- ,chine,, such rollers being indicated .at ,B, and .7.

The .front .roller .6 is .of relatively large diam- ,eter .and is the .driven one, while the rear roller ing iblocks H in which are journaledthe 'opposite :end portions of -the'shaft l -2 dfthereller l. The blocks ll, and -hence the rollers 1'2, are longitudinally adjustable by means of hand "screws t3 which, upon turning, increase or xiecrease -the tension :on compression isprings 25M, --pressing against said lbearing blocks "311. "ilhe endless sanding *belt "5 is itra-ined :atboutarrd ex- '55 tends 'hetween the. roller-s45 :a-nd ll; :properhtension W on said belt being attained by adjustment of the hand screws i3, or such screws may be manipulated to entirely release the tension so as to permit of easy removal of the belt 5 from the rollers 5 and 1 for replacement.

The sub-frames I5 also mount a cross pad i5 by means of brackets Hi; the cross pad 55 engaging atop the lower run of the sanding belt intermediate the rollers, whereby to hold such belt even between the rollers and fiat against the alley 4.

The sub-frames l are mounted for vertical adjustment as follows:

The bearing blocks 9, which are rigid with the sub-frames H), are transversely tiltably carried between the two wings I! of U-shaped brackets l8.

The bearing blocks 9 rest on bracket supported compression springs l9, which springs are capable of holding the weight of all of the parts associated with said bearing blocks; the latter being held down against the spring pressure by adjustable hand screws 20. By adjusting the hand screws 25 a greater or lesser depth of cut by the sanding belt may be effected, or by variable adjustment of such screws the sanding belt may be transversely leveled.

The U-bracket l3 and hand screw on one side of the machine are mounted on a removable end plate 2| which is held in place by thumb screws 22 against the main arch frame 23. The similar plate 2| on the other side of the machine, and which supports the other U-bracket I8, is relatively non-removable.

The shaft 8 is fitted at each end with a pulley 24, driven by an endless belt 25 from a similar pulley 25 turned by an electric motor 27 mounted in the body rearwardly of the roller 5 and above the roller 1. The pulley outside the plate 2| is easily removed by releasing a set screw 23 and releasing tension on belt 25 by forcibly stretching a spring 29 to swing an idler 30 away from said belt.

Thus, by removal of pulley 24, release of the adjacent thumb screws 22, removal of the end plate 2|, and release of hand screws l3, the endless sanding belt 5 may be removed and replaced without the need of further dismantling.

Access to hand screws I3 is provided by holes 3| in the end plates 2| and 2|a so that adjustment of said screws is possible while said end plates remain in place.

When the machine is in use, the sanding belt 5 is adjusted slightly downward with each pass along the length of the alley, until a finished surface is attained even with that of the previously longitudinally leveled edges upon which the wheels 2 run.

In the event some transverse out-of-level of the alley should exist at the outset, or occur due to the sanding belt 5 being adjusted too low at one end, this will be readily ascertained by the operator observing an indicator 32 mounted on the top cover 33 of the body The indicator 32 comprises a needle 34 pivoted at 3'5, and weighted Y 4 switch arm 38 actuates a switch 4| which is in the circuit of the motor 21.

Sander dust from the sanding operation is eliminated by means of a suction blower 42, including a pick-up throat 43 having a. full width opening 44 on the lower end thereof near the alley 4 and immediately to the rear of the roller I, whereby to most effectively draw in the greatest possible amount of the dust as it is thrown back by the sandlin-g belt 5.

The blower 42 has an outlet tube 45 leading to a dust bag 46 attached to the handle bar 3 by a chain 41 and clip 48; the mid portion of the dust bag being supported by cross members 49 attached to handle extensions 50.

The action of the sanding belt 5, being from the front to rear of the machine on the bowling alley, creates a tendency of the machine to creep forward during operation. Therefore, braking means is provided on the axle 5| of the rear wheels '2. Brake drums 52 are mounted on the axle 5|, with flexible brake bands 53 engaging about said drums. The bands 53 are anchored at their lower ends to the rear cross member 54 of the arch frame 23, and at their upper ends said bands are attached to levers -55 pivoted to, and upstanding from, said cross member; said levers being inter-connected by a cross rod 55a.

The levers 55 are adapted to be actuated in unison, whereby to correspondingly apply the brakes by a brake rod 56 which leads from one of the levers 55 to a hand lever 51 mounted at a point convenient to the operators handle bar 3'.

The blower 42 and motor 21 are located on a mounting platform '58 formed integrally with the main arch frame 23, and an upper and rearward arch frame 59 serves to support the top cover 33; the arch frames 23 and 59 being secured to provide a rigid structure. The arch frame 23 includes a front cross member 60 which, together with the rear cross member 54, completes such structure.

The top cover 33 may be of one piece, extending from the lower front of the arch frame 23, over the entire top, and down to the lower rear of the arch frame 59, as is best seen in Fig. 2. Upper end plates 6| may be provided, thus completely enclosing all but the bottom of the body Each handle extension 5!! is supported and strengthened by a brace 62 attached to the upper arch frame 59.

To hold the machine centered on the alley and avoid the need of steering, a spring-urged roller 63 projects laterally from the front end of the frame 23 at each side of the machine and engages the far side of the adjacent alley gutter 64, as shown in Fig. 7. Being spring-urged, these rollers exert a certain amount of drag, tendingindependently of the previously described braking mechanismto prevent too rapid advancing movement of the machine.

The described machine, while simple and compact in structure and easy to control, functions effectively to resurface bowling alleys full width and from end to end thereof. The machine, other than the replacement of the sanding belt, requires little maintenance, and the sanding belts can be readily and quickly changed in the manner described.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device,

5 still in practice such deviations from such details may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. In a bowling alley resurfacing machine, a wheel supported frame which includes side members arching up between their ends to provide laterally facing openings and side plates covering the openings; a sanding unit disposed under and between said members clear of the same and including spaced end rollers, an endless sanding belt trained about and running between the rollers, sub-frames extending alongside the rollers and disposed relative to the rollers to enable the belt to be slid onto and removed from the rollers by lateral movement of said belt, and means supportin the rollers from the sub-frames; means to drive one roller, blocks projecting laterally out from the sub-frames, vertical guide elements on the inner faces of the side plates between which the blocks are vertically slidable, means between the side plates and blocks and releasable from the latter to yieldably maintain the blocks in position in the guide elements, and mean mounting one side plate on the adjacent side member for removal of said plate by movement thereof in a laterally outward direction.

2. A structure as in claim 1, in which the supporting means for one roller includes an axial shaft projecting through the blocks and through the removable side plate, and the means to drive one roller includes a drive pulley removably' mounted on said shaft outwardly of the removable side plate.

3. A structure as in claim 1, in which the block-position maintaining means comprises compression springs supported by the side plates between the guide elements and on which the blocks rest, and vertically adjustable screws mounted on the side plates above and releasably engaging the blocks on the tops thereof.

GIOVANNI PAROVEL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 854,625 Beal May 21, 1907 963,481 Smith July 5, 1910 975,166 Sellner Nov. 8, 1910 1,051,467 Uppercue Jan. 28, 1913 1,356,337 Clarke Oct. 19, 1920 1,356,338 Clarke Oct. 19, 1920 1,523,151 Wilsbach Jan. 13, 1925 1,821,624 Emmons Sept. 1, 1931 2,290,596 Kirchner July 21, 1942 2,429,974 Anderson Nov. 4, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 798,626 France Mar. 10, 1936 

